Monday 28 February 2011

The shape of things to come.



Thanks to the lovely folk at Highland Tipis our giant saddlespan main stage will be accompanied by these beautiful tipis which will function as a Wild West saloon bar / gold prospectors hang out.

Wednesday 2 February 2011

Celtic Connections.

Big thanks to the organisers of Celtic Connections for giving us the opportunities and the inspiration to knock the Insider into shape.

So, what do we remember? Lots of friends from last year are back on board. Joe Acheson (aka Hidden Orchestra) are up for a reprise of last years mad bad Backwoods stage collaborations, only on the main stage with lots of visuals. Louis from Admiral Fallow had barely left Inshriach and already knew he had no choice. We firmed up a brief and a budget (then blew most of it on cocktails) with Lau, they are curating the main stage for Sunday (the brief was to keep it peculiar). The fine Mr Tom Pickles of Banana Sessions and Horndog Brass Band fame has his negotiating hat on (an 8 piece brass funk band gives him the upper hand). Sam Lee of the Magpies Nest, fresh from winning his Arts Foundation Folk Fellowship, will be all over the Balladlands. We still love Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers very much and Rachel Sermanni was either angelic or right in the thick of it throughout.

We spoke to press and DJs, promotors, agents and bookers. We are planning on collaborations with a couple of festivals (of which more later) and we have a whole heap of new talent for this year that just needs whittling into shape.

It just took 2 days lying in a dark room to get over it.